The CliftonStrengths Coaching Blog is a resource for those who want to help others understand their strengths and learn how to use them. Gallup experts and outside contributors share tactics, insights, and strategies to help strengths coaches maximize the talent of individuals, teams, and organizations around the world.

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Friday, May 30, 2014

Last week on Theme Thursday, we took an in-depth look at the Woo theme and hosted Gallup Senior Education Program Manager JerLene Mosley. JerLene supports schools and school districts in selecting outstanding teachers and staff members and provides strengths-based development to staff and students. Her top five strengths are Individualization, Communication, Positivity, Activator, and Woo.

People with strong Woo talents bring energy to social situations. They can connect with others and act as catalysts in helping people connect with one another. They have an exceptional ability to draw others out of their shell.

Friday, May 23, 2014

An organization I once worked with was loaded with sharp, driven, and self-motivated people. Early
on, the individuals within this organization were really able to stay in their strengths zone, some specialized in managing projects, and others specialized in estimating. As the organization grew, the executive team focused more and more on the well-roundedness of everyone. As this growth occurred, there was a significant decrease in productivity as estimators were being forced to become project managers and vice versa. You see, the focus on becoming well-rounded -- an obsession with teaching everyone how to do everything -- diluted the talent base that had been prevalent within the organization’s culture in its initial years. This dilution of talent adversely impacted profitability, employee morale, and overall performance. During this period, from one year to the next, this business increased revenue by over 30% -- a staggeringly impressive increase, right? Wrong, their profitability level for the year of increased revenue was well below the previous year, despite employees working harder than ever. Essentially, revenue had grown by 30% and the amount of total money made year-over-year had decreased by nearly the same amount.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Last week on Called to Coach, we featured Jamie Librot, Gallup Senior Learning Solutions Consultant. Since joining Gallup in 2005, Jamie has consulted with external clients in a wide range of industries on various workplace issues. What follows are some of the highlights from the webcast.

When first discovering your strengths, it can often feel overwhelming as you dive into this language with which to describe yourself. Jamie suggests that, if you do feel as though it is too much information to take in at once, you approach it one strength at a time. There is no prescribed length of time that you should invest into each strength, but try owning your top strength first, and then moving on to the next one when you’re ready.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Last week on Called to Coach: Southeast Asia Edition we spoke with Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, Chandru Pingali. Chandru started I-Cube Consortium Ltd. to enable companies in Asia and Africa to achieve scale and growth through strategic and executive leadership.

When Chandru first discovered his top five strengths, he immediately recognized that they described him perfectly. He now tries to spread strengths everywhere he goes and to everyone he works with. When working with new teams who haven’t taken the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment, he makes sure the whole team discovers their strengths. He then meets with the group as a team to determine who can capitalize on their strengths to improve team performance.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Last week on Theme Thursday we took an in-depth look at the Relator theme. Guiding us were Gallup’s Curt Liesveld and special guest Dr. Brian Brim, Gallup Senior Practice Consultant and author of Strengths Based Selling.

People especially strong in Relator talents form solid, genuine, and mutually rewarding relationships. Their relationships are close, caring, and trusting.

Over a quarter (28%) of people in Gallup’s strengths database have Relator in their top five, the third highest among all 34 themes. Those who have high Relator tend to value close, lasting relationships with friends and family. They often prefer informal relationships, as opposed to those with formal undertones, which can diminish the personal side of a relationship.

Relators are often at their best when they have one-on-one interactions with others. They care deeply for others, and seek people with whom they can develop long-term, meaningful relationships. Brian distinguishes Relator from Woo, stating that the two themes are unlikely to be paired together. He adds that Woo is more of the courtship, whereas Relator acts as the marriage.

Raw vs. Mature
People with strong Relator might describe themselves as somewhat introverted, as they are most comfortable around their own friends. This is an example of raw Relator. Mature Relator, however, takes it one step further by recognizing that, although they might prefer to be around their own friends, they are the most capable of providing these friends with the comfort and trust of a lasting relationship.

To hear more about the Relator theme and how people like Brian use it in their everyday lives, watch the full video above or the short theme video below.

Friday, May 9, 2014

The Great Manager webcast series shares knowledge and experience from Gallup’s many years of teaching managers how to be their best. We’re interviewing some of the best, most effective managers we know to understand what makes them great. On the most recent webcast, we hosted Gallup’s Jamie Hunt.

Jamie has been in leadership positions most of his life. Whether it was a student council leadership position in junior high school, student body president in college, or his leadership role at Gallup, Jamie says it’s his life’s mission to make sure people are in meaningful and purposeful positions.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Last week on Called to Coach, we featured Nicole Sedlacek, Executive Director of Holt County (Nebraska) Economic Development.

Nicole began her work with strengths as a guide during the pilot of Gallup’s Entrepreneur Acceleration System (EAS) in 2012. The system was designed to help small to medium-sized businesses take a strengths-based approach to business development and economic growth.